From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mathieu_Ren=E9?= <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca> To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org> Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:38:11 -0400 Subject: [Puptcrit] Retail jobs: suitable for puppet artists? Hi all. While I'm always looking for a permanent or long term position in Puppetry (building/performing, local or abroad), in the meantime I took a day job to help pay the bills. The puppet contracts continue undisturbed, although should I get more of them, the daytime work hours would be reduced to part-time, to accomodate my true calling. I just found out my previously wonderful new job has a dark side, namely the store is run by bullies. And bullies can't stand having their authorities questionned or even subtly resisted, so they make sure they get you out of the way. Which happened to me just this week. So, my questions to my fellow puptcritters: Are retail jobs possible (and /or suitable) for artists who are used to think and stand up for themselves? What can one do about it (after being fired or after quitting of course), when one knows stores have a steady inflow of slaves waiting in line for a job opportunity? The abuse just goes on, because they can get away with it! I sure would like to know of a way to make them understand, and if they don't a way to make them stop their abuse. I'd really want to know about success stories as well as nightmares you might have lived while trying to earn a living when the puppet contracts were not enough... What can a puppet artist do about it? Maybe build a show about bullies at work? Maybe use the staff as characters? - - - Background (a bit of a lenghty rant): The colleagues at the store I started working at about three weeks ago are all good, honest working people with all the right skills and more. We are all being treated with lack of respect (some rules are ridiculous and inflexible, some comments and attidudes are degrading, there have been some shouting), but with enough subtletly that it doesn't really show on the surface. Some of us probably don't even notice it, or just accept it as normal, sadly. To me, NORMAL does not automatically mean it is RIGHT. I do speak up when I think something is wrong. Most bully bosses I've dealt with can't stand questions, especially if you ask about the reason behind the rules they impose. One is supposed to accept a seemingly unreasonnable situation without questionning it? I was just transfered to the warehouse (the choice was either that or quitting), to label and sort mechandise, having been deemed (by the manager who hired me) unfit for customer service. Which is a ridiculous judgement, I have only received positive feedback from my customer service there (from customers and even from fellow employees), and anywhere else in the past. I've learned most of the store's inventory in reccord time and was already pretty much autonomous with customers after 3 weeks of very part-time work. All the time and money they spent on training me (includes paid training in jewelry making) is now wasted for them because of a lack of judgement by an inexperienced manager. I am insulted and furious, but at the same time, strangely calm, because I know I am not going to stay there very long. Too bad for them, I was honestly looking for something stable where I could contribute to the growth. >From a variety of events and comments, I am now certain I am being bullied into resigning, and at the same time put in a position to make it easy for them to fire me legally in a week or two (the sweatshop job I was assigned to do can be done soon and they can claim there is no more work for me). The manager is very new there. A friend I confided in tells me she believes he might feel threatened by my quick learning, which would explain why he would change his mind about hiring me, when he first was so impressed with my resume. If that is the case, maybe I should have mentionned, during the interviews (I had two, one with an external consultant), that I was not interested in a promotion. Oh well, can't ease every paranoia if you don't know about them. Now I work in the dusty warehouse, under bad lighting and worse air circulation (the dust and heat are intense), examining thousands of spools of wire for defects, every day. About 50% are deffective, and need to be re-sent to the supplier. No matter what, I can't bring myself to do a bad job, so I made a proper setup, devised a system. I'm efficient and quick at it, but I do hate it with a passion. Even with my music player and headphones (which the business owner warns me today he might decide to forbid, as I created a precedent), the time there is excruciatingly boring. I feel like my time and skills are wasted there. But I won't quit until I find another work, or until they give me a quotable reason to do so (whichever comes first, I do want my severance pay after all). When I leave them, I'll make sure I tell them what's on my mind. Maybe they will ignore my words, but at least I will have tried and be able to sleep without regret. It wouldn't be the first time. My previous retail job, years ago, was also ruled by a bully. I told her "the truth" when I resigned (she insulted me one time too many), and it felt wonderful and liberating. I know she continued to mistreat her employees, continuing the pattern (at least 60 people resigned during the year I worked for her). I filed a complaint with the worker's rights, but didn't see any real effect. The next time I visited the store to see a friend still working there (she really needed the money), the boss treated me like royalty. She was always a very convincing two-face. In a way, her abuse tought me a lot about standing up for myself. Maybe this current job is the universe's way of teaching me how to get the next level of respect... I used to be shy, docile and quiet. Nowadays I'm extroverted and accomodating but resistant to injustice. What will happen in a few days??? I'm kinda scared with the possibilities... Watch out world! LoL _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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